Glamour & Grit - Feb. 27, 2012

As part of its 25th anniversary celebration, Mustard Seed Ministries is giving a gift to the community by starting a Community Bucket Garden. In an effort to help ensure that folks in St. Lucie County have access to fresh fruits and vegetables, Pastor Robert Coleman of Goodwill Presbyterian Church and a member of the Board of Directors for Mustard Seed, came up with the idea for the bucket garden. And, with help from Nature’s Keeper and Fr. Jonathan Weekes of St. Simon’s Episcopal Church, the garden is growing, but assistance is needed in the continued tending to the project.

In addition to creating the Community Bucket Garden, staff and volunteers at Mustard Seed Ministries also hope to introduce the area’s multicultural population to new fruits and vegetables through tasting-stations at Mustard Seed Ministries and provide instruction on how families can start and maintain their own healthy, tasty vegetables. What a fabulous idea! For information on how to get involved, volunteer or donate call (772) 595-1599.

Celebrities join forces

Two local celebrities have partnered to help raise awareness and encourage blood donation in the Hispanic community. Recently appointed as a Trustee of the Florida State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, television personality and writer Gretta Vitta, has joined forces with Jefferson Award recipient Scott Van Duzer and will host “What’s Your Type? Health & Fitness Family Fun Blood Drive” from noon-4 p.m. on March 11 at Gold’s Gym in St. Lucie West. There will be live performances by local artists, Spanish food provided by Pueblo Viejo, Salsa dance lessons, bounce houses for children, raffles and other give-aways. Blood donors will receive a free T-shirt and a choice between a free, 30-day membership to Gold’s Gym or movie tickets.

All-you-should-eat

It’s that time of year, again. Time for the annual Backus Brunch and painting raffle. If you’ve never been, and if you’re one of those persons who enjoys a breakfast platter the likes of which even Fred Flinstone has never seen, this brunch is for you. Billed as the “All-You-Should-Eat” brunch to benefit the A.E. Backus Museum & Gallery, and inspired by the museum’s namesake Beanie Backus’ favorites of fish, grits and eggs; the brunch has been elaborated into what it is today. A meal of fried mahi-mahi, scrambled eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy, pancakes, cheese grits and freshly squeezed orange juice - and a great chance to see friends and neighbors you might not see everyday. The brunch is from 9 a.m.-noon on March 4 at the museum, located on Indian River Drive in Fort Pierce. Tickets are $15 per adult and $5 per child under 10-years old.

And whether you attend the brunch or not, you can participate by donating nonperishable food items to the museum from 9 a.m.-noon. Sunrise Ford, a sponsor of the brunch, will provide a truck that will be used to collect the food and then delivered to Mustard Seed Ministries.

Raffle tickets to win a Backus original painting “Florida Wetland” are still available for $20 each or three for $50. Valued at $25,000, the drawing for the painting will be held at 12:30 p.m. on March 4.

For additional information about the brunch, the food drive or the raffle, call the museum at (772) 465-0630. I hope to see you there.

Small world, reconnecting

I love to hear stories about people reconnecting in odd places - “small world stories.” And Wendy Dwyer just told me one that I just had to share. Many of you know Wendy. Sometimes it seems as though she’s cloned herself, being at two or more places at one time. On a recent assignment for Luminaries, Wendy was talking to a woman who is involved in the MeadowLarks, a choral group comprised of residents of Meadowood Country Club in Fort Pierce (you’ll be reading more about them soon). In the course of her conversation, Wendy discovered that the woman was one of her “old, favorite college instructors.” How cool is that? Luminaries - reconnecting relationships from all over the country.

Mardi Gras party

The Pilot Club of Fort Pierce is hosting a Mardi Gras Dinner Dance on March 24. tickets are $35 per person or two for $65 and include dinner, dancing, door prizes, costume contest and more. Proceeds benefit Billy Miller Art for Life and Sara Weathers Scholarships. For information, e-mail pilotcluboffortpierce@hotmail.